Driver state determination device and driver state determination method

Abstract

A driver state determination device includes a facial change information acquisition unit acquiring facial change information indicating a time-series change in facial data of a subject, and a driver state determination unit determining the driver state of the subject based on the facial change information. The subject is selected from the group consisting of a subject driving a machine from when brain function activation information that activates human brain function is provided, a subject driving a machine from when the brain function activation information provided to the subject driving the machine is detected, and a subject performing a predetermined operation on a machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A driver state determination device, comprising:
 a camera acquiring facial change information indicating a time-series change in facial data of one selected from the group consisting of
 a subject driving a machine at a time when brain function activation information that activates human brain function is provided to the subject or surroundings of the subject, 
 a subject driving a machine at a time when the brain function activation information provided to the subject driving the machine is detected, and 
 a subject performing a predetermined operation on a machine; and 
 
 a CPU determining the driver state of the subject based on the facial change information. 
 
     
     
       2. The driver state determination device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the CPU decomposes the facial change information into a plurality of components corresponding to at least a plurality of time distributions, 
 the CPU determines the driver state of the subject based on a determination component extracted from the plurality of components. 
 
     
     
       3. The driver state determination device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the CPU decomposes the facial change information into a plurality of components corresponding to time distributions and space distributions. 
 
     
     
       4. The driver state determination device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the CPU decomposes the facial change information into a plurality of components by singular value decomposition, principal component analysis, or independent component analysis. 
 
     
     
       5. The driver state determination device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the CPU extracts, as a determination component, a component related to the brain function activation information that activates human brain activity or a brain activity related change amount from the plurality of components, 
 the brain activity related change amount being extracted from a predetermined amount of change caused by a predetermined operation on the machine. 
 
     
     
       6. The driver state determination device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the CPU extracts the determination component based on a value of a critical rate. 
 
     
     
       7. The driver state determination device according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a memory associating, with a driver state level, an amount of change of a predetermined range, of a correlation value of a determination component calculated for the brain function activation information or a brain activity related change amount, from a reference correlation value of a reference determination component calculated for the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount, 
 the memory storing the amount of change as determination information, 
 the CPU calculating the correlation value of the determination component to the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount, and 
 the CPU determining the driver state level of the subject based on the calculated correlation value and the determination information. 
 
     
     
       8. The driver state determination device according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a determination information provision device on a network including a determination information storage unit that stores an amount of change associated with a driver state level of a predetermined range as determination information, 
 the amount of change being defined as an amount of change, of a correlation value of a determination component calculated for the brain function activation information or a brain activity related change amount, from a reference correlation value of a reference determination component calculated for the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount, 
 the CPU calculating the correlation value of the determination component to the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount, and 
 the CPU determining the driver state level of the subject based on the calculated correlation value and the determination information. 
 
     
     
       9. The driver state determination device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the machine is an automatic machine including at least one selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a railway vehicle, an aircraft, a nuclear power generation equipment, and a plant machine. 
 
     
     
       10. The driver state determination device according to  claim 1 ,
 the CPU provides the brain function activation information to the subject driving the machine. 
 
     
     
       11. The driver state determination device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the CPU detects the brain function activation information provided to the subject driving the machine. 
 
     
     
       12. The driver state determination device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the CPU extracts, as a brain activity related change amount, an amount of change related to human brain activity from a predetermined amount of change caused by the predetermined operation on the machine. 
 
     
     
       13. The driver state determination device according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the machine is an automatic machine including at least one selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a railway vehicle, an aircraft, a nuclear power generation equipment, and a plant machine, and 
 the CPU extracts the brain activity related change amount from an amount of change in a command signal to the automatic machine. 
 
     
     
       14. The driver state determination device according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the machine is a transportation machine including at least one selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a railway vehicle, and an aircraft, and 
 the CPU extracts the brain activity related change amount from an amount of change in an acceleration of the transportation machine. 
 
     
     
       15. The driver state determination device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the CPU further
 estimates brain activity of the subject based on the facial change information, and 
 monitors a physiological state of the subject based on the brain activity of the subject estimated. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The driver state determination device according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the CPU, in order to estimate brain activity,
 decomposes the facial change information into a plurality of components by singular value decomposition, principal component analysis, or independent component analysis, and 
 estimates the brain activity of the subject based on the plurality of components. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The driver state determination device according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the the CPU, in order to monitor the physiological state of the subject, analyzes a consciousness level of the subject with respect to an operation based on the brain activity of the subject. 
 
     
     
       18. The driver state determination device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the CPU further gives notice to the subject to pay attention when the consciousness level analyzed by the CPU declines to less than or equal to a certain level. 
 
     
     
       19. The driver state determination device according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a display enabling an administrator managing the machine operated by the subject to acquire information related to the physiological state of the subject. 
 
     
     
       20. A driver state determination method comprising:
 a step selected from the group consisting of:
 a brain function activation information provision step providing brain function activation information, which activates human brain activity, to a subject driving a machine, 
 a brain function activity activation information detection step detecting brain function activation information, which activates human brain activity, provided to the subject driving the machine, and 
 a machine change amount detection step detecting a predetermined amount of change caused by a predetermined operation on the machine and a brain activity related change amount extraction step extracting, as a brain activity related change amount, an amount of change related to brain activity of the subject driving the machine from the amount of change detected in the machine change amount detecting step; 
 
 a facial change information acquisition step acquiring facial change information indicating a time-series change in facial data of the subject; 
 a facial change information decomposition step decomposing the facial change information into a plurality of components by singular value decomposition, principal component analysis, or independent component analysis; 
 a determination component extraction step extracting, from the plurality of components, a component related to the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount as a determination component; and 
 a driver state determination step determining a driver state of the subject based on the determination component. 
 
     
     
       21. The driver state determination method according to  claim 20 , wherein
 an amount of change of a predetermined range is associated with a driver state level and stored in a determination information storage unit as determination information, 
 the amount of change is defined as an amount of change, of a correlation value of a determination component calculated for the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount, from a reference correlation value of a reference determination component calculated for the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount, and 
 in the driver state determination step, a correlation value of the determination component to the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount is calculated, and the driver state level of the subject is determined based on the calculated correlation value and the determination information. 
 
     
     
       22. The driver state determination method according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the brain function activation information detection step, the brain function activation information provision step, or the machine change amount detection step and the brain activity related change amount extraction step, 
 the facial change information acquisition step, 
 the facial change information decomposition step, and 
 the determination component extraction step 
 are executed at a predetermined timing, and 
 a component related to the brain function activation information or the brain activity related change amount is extracted as a reference determination component. 
 
     
     
       23. The driver state determination method according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the determination information storage unit is stored in a determination information provision device on a network, and 
 in the driver state determination step, the determination information provision device is accessed when the driver state level is determined. 
 
     
     
       24. The driver state determination method according to  claim 23 , wherein
 the reference correlation value is calculated based on a reference determination component, and the reference determination component is obtained by providing the brain function activation information to a person other than the subject, or 
 the reference correlation value is calculated based on a brain activity related change amount during normal operation.